Boating Facilities Fund
Grants-in-Aid
Purpose
The Boating Facilities Fund funds access sites to the
waters of Maine for public recreational boating. The Boating
Facilities Fund Grant Program, administered by the Department's
Bureau of Parks and Lands, assists towns, cities, districts
and other public and private agencies in the acquisition,
development, enhancement, or rehabilitation of boat launching
facilities available to the general public. Sites on both
tidal and non-tidal waters are eligible. Funding is available
to assist in the development of hand-carry as well as trailered
boat launching facilities. However, since the Fund derives
its revenue from a portion of the gasoline taxes generated
by recreational motor boaters, priority is given to funding
launching facilities that can be used by both motor and
non-motorized watercraft. The fund is not intended to provide
non-boating water access, e.g., opportunities for bank fishing,
sight-seeing, picnicking, where boat launching does not
take place. Grants may be monetary or in the form of materials,
e.g., floats and concrete planking for ramps.
Who may apply for a grant?
The applicant must have right, title or interest in the
land to be acquired and/or developed and legally assure
that the site will be available to the general public.
What costs are eligible for the grant?
A grant may be used for:
-
land appraisal, legal, and other professional services
associated with the acquisition of land rights needed
for the project;
-
purchase of land rights up to appraised fair market
value;
-
professional design/engineering services;
-
approved construction costs;
-
administrative costs such as advertising for bids and
recording deeds;
-
permit fees paid to external regulators;
-
construction management and inspection costs.
What costs are not eligible for this grant?
A grant will not pay for:
Policies and Guidelines
Policies and guidelines the Bureau follows in processing
grant requests:
Willing Seller: The property owner(s) has agreed
in writing to allow the applicant to consider the purchase
of his/her property.
Appraised Value: The property owner is willing to
accept a price at or below fair market value for his property
based on an appraisal that conforms to Boating Facility
Fund appraisal standards; or the applicant is willing to
make up the difference between the appraised fair market
value and the owner's asking price.
Match Requirements: Generally, the recreational
component of facilities found to be of statewide significance
will be funded with a match requirement of up to 25%; regionally
significant facilities with a 25% to 50% match requirement;
and locally significant facilities with a 50% to 75% match
requirement.
State Interest in Property: The property owner is
expected to grant the State a perpetual easement on the
property assuring its continued use as a recreational boating
facility open to the general public.
Commercial Use of Proposed Facilities: Facilities
funded in whole by Boating Facility Funds must be primarily
for recreational use by the general public. Commercial use
of the facilities may be permitted provided the commercial
use does not interfere with the recreational use by the
general public, including use of the associated parking
facilities.
Bidding and Contract Award: Whenever construction
is to be contracted, construction work must be competitively
bid using Bureau standard bidding documents and procedures
or similar, Bureau-approved bidding documents and procedures.
Contracts shall be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder,
unless the Bureau approves otherwise.
User Fees: When grant recipients propose establishing
a user fee, the fee must be approved by the Bureau. The
fee must bemodest, cannot be punitive towards nonresidents
and may only be used to offset documented management costs.
Accessibility: The Bureau may require grant recipients
to provide components accessible by persons with disabilities,
where feasible, at all new and renovated sites to the greatest
extent possible, in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities
Act of 1990. Accessible components may include, but are
not necessarily limited to parking spaces, accessible routes,
docks and boarding floats, toilet structures, stairways
and signs.
Coordination of State Goals, Policies and Regulations:
Grant recipients are expected to plan, site, construct and
manage boating access facilities in compliance with all
local, state, and federal laws and regulations, and in a
manner which complements state goals and plans such as the
Growth Management Act.
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